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www.maxyield.land is about Terra Nova, LLC's subsurface membrane - passive irrigation for water conservation to maximize crop yield.​
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Benefits:
1. maximizes yields in extant fields.
2. better quality
3. reduced input costs
seed, water, electricity, diesel, fertilizer
4. transforms sandy soils to arable
5. promotes drought stress tolerance
6. higher farm-gate cash flow
7. eliminates deep breaking
8. eliminates soil erosion​​​​​​
( A likely side benefit is sequestration of nitrates )
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Terra Nova is the culmination of development that goes back decades. Our U S Patent 12,342,763 contains 17 innovations
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Our groundbreaking "alpha" version had a short life. Turns out it was not concrete breaking. It literally ran into concrete during a test in 2024. The small test plot did further substantiate proof of concept.
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"Bravo " is currentlyunder construction and will be back in the field in Q4 2025. installing four rows of subsurface membrane at a time.
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We gave a sneak preview in Lubbock, TX on July 24,2025.
click on the link for local Lubbock news coverage.
2026 will be about quantifying yield and quality.
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Here are pics of first rolls for test plots made on September 18.
We have enough film membrane for eight acres.
About Terra Nova Research
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Terra Nova Research, a Delaware LLC, is dedicated to revolutionizing water conservation in sandy soils through innovative engineering and applied academic research. Founded to bridge the gap between non-scalable university research and real-world agricultural needs, we will optimize yields on extant farms and bring cutting-edge solutions to over 5 billion acres of sandy soil in global agricultural production. Our mission is to enhance sustainability and productivity, transforming farming practices worldwide with practical, science-driven technologies.
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About founder James Franz
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James Franz has a bachelor's degree in Engineering from General Motors
Institute in Flint, MI. He has a Master's in Engineering from University of
Michigan. He trained in Japan at Toyota. He achieved a Shingo-prize which
is the highest award for organizational excellence.
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His 39 year career in manufacturing has taken him to 58 countries.
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James is a pilot and international public speaker.
The Technology
Since ancient times, hydrology has been the lifeblood of farming. By capturing rainfall versus allowing water to drain to the water table, crops achieve their maximum potential in terms of yield and quality. While biochar and cover crops help, subsurface membranes are far superior.
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Terranova buries thin layers of polymer at about 24 inches below tillage level.
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The subsurface film is in multiple rows to allow exchange of air and microbes.
